Bakersfield-raised singer-songwriter Junior Mesa premieres the video for his new single, “ All Or Nothin ,” today. Of the song, Junior Mesa says, “It’s an all or nothing soup of my life, you either have to put in your all or things don’t work out.”
The track sets the stage for more music from Junior Mesa as he gears up to release his debut project via Ricky Reed ’s Nice Life Recording Company , joining Lizzo * andJohn-Robert on Nice Life’s roster (and management by Cosmica Artists).
Additionally, Junior Mesa has confirmed two California dates supporting Victor Internet,September 19th at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco, CA and September 20th at The Paramount in Los Angeles, CA (already SOLD OUT). He also co-wrote and co-produced the lead single “Veins” on Victor Internet’s debut EP “Victor’s Debut” out via Terrible Records on 9/20.
Junior Mesa channels a timeless sound by way of modern means. Rather than comb stacks of record stores, the 20-year-old Bakersfield, CA singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist culls influence from a YouTube search history spanning everyone from Wes Montgomery and Ella Fitzgerald to Jimi Hendrix and Sly & The Family Stone.Under this digitized classic spell, he not only sings with shuddering soul, but he also plays guitar, drums, piano, and bass with understated and instinctive virtuosity.
“It’s crazy, because the internet introduced me to all of this old school music,” he explains. “There’s a slower pace that my generation sort of needs, because our lives are so fast and frantic. For me, music is peace. It’s what I want to share.”
Growing up in the sleepy California “oil town” of Bakersfield “where nobody really leaves,” songs doubled as a refuge from suburban boredom. In sophomore year of high school, he picked up his grandfather’s guitar and taught himself Nirvana’s “Lithium.” From there, he “couldn’t put the guitar down.”
Mired in loneliness and haunted by rough bouts of anxiety, he spent countless hours perfecting his talents on the instrument and penning songs. Opting to skirt college, he moved out of his parents’ house and took a job at a local grocery store. All the while, he fashioned a singular sonic style and spirit.